To Protect And To Serve

Knoxville Police Department Officer Jeff Allgood offers assistance to officers Robert Cook, right, and Shaun Sakovitch after they stopped a robbery suspect last week in West Knoxville. Last year, the department recorded 335,000 “calls for service," including 205,953 calls that resulted in a direct response by a patrol officer in the field, officer-initiated actions such as traffic stops, or investigation of a suspicious activity an officer has noticed. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)

2013 Knoxville News Sentinel

Jimmy "J.J." Jones

David Rausch

Knoxville Police Department officer Ryan Kuykendall reads the Bible before the start of roll call last week at the Safety Building. At right is officer Greg Womac. KPD Chief David Rausch has requested money for 40 new officers in the mayor’s 2013-14 budget. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)

2013 Knoxville News Sentinel

Knoxville Police Department Chief David Rausch addresses officers including Sgt. Nevin Long, center, and Scott Noe during roll call last week at the Safety Building. Rausch said Knoxville will not become a less safe city if he does not get the new officers, but with them, KPD could expand its proactive policing efforts, crime prevention strategies and other actions that could have a long-term improvement on the city’s level of safety. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)

2013 Knoxville News Sentinel

Knoxville Police Department Officer Jeff Allgood writes up a report after detaining a suspected shoplifter last week at West Town Mall. A recent study of 242 police departments around the country classified Knoxville as an “underpoliced” city, with “about 300” KPD officers currently assigned to patrol, according to Chief David Rausch. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)

Knoxville Police Department Officer Jeff Allgood returns Isabella Cooper to her home after the 2-year-old wandered away briefly last week in West Knoxville. Allgood is one of 406 KPD officers, a number that Chief David Rausch wants to augment with money requested in the new city budget. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)